Igniting and lighting generator.



J. M. WILSON.

IGNITING AND LIGHTING GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. II. 1914.

1 ,21 9,5 1 8 Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

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J. M. WILSON.

iGNITlNG AND LIGHTING GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 17, $914.

1 ,2 1 9,5 1 8 Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

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J. M. WILSON.

IGNITING AND LIGHTING GENERATOR APPLICATION FILED APR. I7, 1914.

1 ,2]. 9,5 1 8. Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

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IGNITING AND LIGHTING GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR.H,19I4.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. WILSON, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO SPLITDORF ELECTRICAL COMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

IGNITING AND LIGHTING GENERATOR.

Application filed April 17, 1914.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JAMES M. l/VILsoN, a citizen of the United States, resident of Newark, county of Essex, State of New J ersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Igniting and Lighting Generators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in generators used for both ignition work and lighting, in which the ignition current is generated within the machine and delivered directly to the spark plugs or ignition devices of an internal combustion engine, and the current for lighting the lamps and charging the battery of the vehicle to which the generator is attached, is generated within the same machine, but from a separate armature.

One of the great problems in connection with lighting generators, and more particularly lighting generators that are driven at a variable speed, and particularly when the lighting generator is combined with an ignition generator or starting motor, is the control of the current from the generator. This is a particularly hard problem on engines that run at a high speed, and which have a very rapid change of rate in speed, such as a motorcycle engine. On a motorcycle only a small amount of current is required for the lights, as only two are carried, namely, a front and rear, the last of which is of very low candle power, usually, two candle power, and it is therefore necessary to hold the current from the generator down to a point where it will not boil out the storage battery or burn out the lamps, when running at high speeds. One of the features of my invention relates to this method of controlling the generator current, at the same time accomplishing the ignition in a more efiicient manner than is obtained from a magneto which is used for this purpose.

The improvements as illustrated in the attached drawings relate to a generator suitable for a moving vehicle, such as a two cylinder motorcycle. It is to be understood that whileI have shown a device for such an engine it is applicable to an engine having one or more cylinders, as will be apparent to any one skilled in the art. My invention is set forth in the following specification and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

Serial No. 832,539.

drawings attached thereto, in which like numbers represent corresponding parts in the various figures.

Referring now particularly to the drawin 's, Figure 1 illustrates an elevation of-my generator having the outer casing and end plates removed as well as the generator armature, showing, however, the ignition armature in position, and the location of coils used for producing the various magnetic fluxes for generating current.

Fig. 2 is a similar View of another form of my invention showing a different disposition of the field coils, and a different method of controlling the magnetic flux.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of my generator showing the ignition armature at the bottom and the generator armature at the top. This figure is a section on line A A of Fig. 2, but with the generator completely assembled.

Fig. 4 is a left hand end view of Fig. 3, having the ignition breaker box cover as well as the generator cut-out boX cover removed.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of the circuit arrangements of the generator shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic illustration of the circuit arrangements of the generator shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic illustration of the circuit arrangements of a combination of Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring now particularly to the drawings, 1 is the base of non-magnetic material to which are attached in any suitable manner, pole pieces 2 and 3. These pole pieces have extensions 52 and 4, to which are attached by any suitable means, such as screws, pole pieces 5 and 6. Across the pole pieces 52 and 4 of Fig. 1 is fastened a yoke 7. Around this yoke is placed a coil 8, while around the pole extensions 52 and i are placed coils 9 and 10. Between the pole pieces 2 and 3 is mounted on suitable bearings 11 and 12 (shown in Fig. 3), a high tension armature of the usual type. This armature is illustrated in the various figures, is more particularly adapted for firing a two cylinder engine, said cylinders usually being placed at an angle, and as is sometimes done, the maximum peaks of the current wave are displaced by means of mutilating the iron in gularity of the engine cylinders.

the rotating armature, and the field pole pieces in a symmetric manner, or by arranging the iron in both of said parts in an asymmetric Inanner, the same as shown in the Various figures of the drawings.

It will be noted that I have shown the asymmetric arrangement of the magnetic material used in the ignition part of my generator, as the pole pieces of the armature are cut off, and one of the field pole pieces, 2, is prolonged farther than pole piece 3, and the cams, 13 and 1-1-, are displaced in the breaker box in accordance with the an- While I have shown means of generating ignition current for a two cylinder machine, I am not limited to this construction, as I may use my improvements for a single or multicylinder engine. I desire also to point out at this point that for the sake of clearness I have not shown the necessary brushes for collecting the ignition current from the spool 15 and in the diagrammatic arrangement of the circuits, I have shown only one high tension wire running direct to one plug. In these diagrammatic drawings I have also shown a breaker which is of a different type than that shown in Fig. l. However, the method of winding the ignition armature and the type of breaker used in connection therewith, forms no part of my invention and are only shown as they are in order to make the subject matter clear to any one skilled in the art. i

As shown in Fig. 3, the generator armature 17 is mounted directly above the ignition armature 16 on suitable bearings 18 and 19. The armature 17 is driven by means of wheel 20 attached to one end of the armature shaft, by means of gear wheel 21, which is attached to the ignition armature 1(3. Mounted on the end of the ignition armature is a breaker 22, shown in the position of opening the primary circuit of the ignition armature 16. On the end of the generator shaft is mounted a Sleeve 23, which free to slide back and forth on the end of the shaf Attached to the gear wheel 20 is a plate 2%, which plate carries governor weights 25, pivoted in any well known manner. Mounted in the end of the sleeve 23 is a ball 26, which runs against a friction wearing plate 27. This friction wearing plate 27 is attached to a movable spring 28, which carries a contact 29. Mounted in any suitable manner within the auxiliary plate 30 is a stationary member 31, which -:-arries a contact Members 23, 24, 25 and 26 con st'tute a centrifugal governor which operates in accordance with'the speed of rotaion of the armature 17 to open anu close the contacts 29 and 32.

The auxiliary plate 30 is attached to a supplemental plate in a suitable manner, such as screws which may also pass through the plate 3-1 to hold this plate to the main front bearing plate 37 tine feature of my construction, is the arranging of the said plates 30, and in such a manner that they can be readily removed in order to obtain easy access to the mechanism inclosed by said cases. A cover is used to close plate 30, and another cover 51 is used to close the breaker box of the high tension armature.

Referring to Fig. 2, the pole pieces 5 and 6 have extensions 36 and 37, on which is mounted a U shaped spring 38, by means of the screws 39. The top portion of the spring 38 carries a keeper it). The keeper l0 spans the pole extensions 36 and 37, and is thereby acted on in accordance with the magnetic flux carried by them. An adjustment of the keeper 10 is provided by means of a screw 11 and lock nuts -12, so that the air gap between the keeper 10 and the pole extensions 36 and 37 can be adjusted to mec the necessary operating conditions.

I have shown in Figs. 5, (3 and 7 three methods of control, and I will now refer particularly to each of these figures and describe briefly the actions of each.

In Fig. 5, coils 9 and 10 encompass the pole extensions and -.l-.. A third coil 8 is mounted on the yoke 7. The spring members 28, 31, 41-3 and 1-5 are to be mounted within the auxiliary plate 30 and operated by the governor members 23, 21-, 25 and 2(3,

heretofore explained.

In starting up an engine to which my generator is connected, the switch M is closed, allowing current from the battery B to flow through the exciting coils 9 and 10 and the auxiliary coil 8. These coils will generate a magnetic flux from the pole piece 5 through the armature 17 to pole piece (3 to the extension -1-. The coil 8 will generate a magnetic flux which will act with coils f; and 1.0 to produce the same polarity in the pole pieces 5 and (3, but the flux generated by coil 8 will return upward through the extension 4, while the flux generated by coils 9 and 10 will pass downward to pole piece 5 and through the armature 16 to pole piece The armature 16 as shown. in Fig. 5 is nearly in aposition to give the maximum spark at the plug. It is to be remembered that the greatest ilux will pass through the armature 16 when it is in a horizontal position but that the greatest rate of change of lines of force will take place when it is in a nearly vertical position. The engine can now he cranked or started in the usual way, and as soon as the speed reaches a certain predetermined point,-the aforesaid governor members will close the contacts 29 and 32, 72111511] g the generator armature l. to deliver current to tl e battery B and to the lamp load L, provided the switch S is closed. 'lVhcn the speed of the generator has reached a certain predetermined high point, the governor mechanism closes the contacts 4st and 4L6. .Vhen these contacts close, the coil 8 is short circuited, cutting the same out of action. This will allow a portion of the flux from coils 9 and 10 to pass upward through the extension 52, through the yoke 7 and downward through the extension l. It is thus seen that a con siderable amount of magnetic flux is removed from the armature 17; that is, all of the flux generated by the coil 8 and a portion generated by coils 9 and 10. These proportions are arranged to suit conditions by suitable windings for coils 8, S) and 10. It is readily seen that the reduction of the flux from the armature 17 will immediately reduce the output of the armature to the working circuit which includes the battery and lamp load, if the lamps be on, and prevents the current increasing to such a value as will boil out the battery. As the speed of the engine, and con equently the generator, is decreased, the reverse actions take place as will be clearly apparent.

In Fig. 6 I have placed the field coils 9 and 10 directly on the pole'pieces 5 and In this figure the operation of the governor is the same as in Fig. 5, the contacts 29 and 32 being closed when the speed of the generator armature reaches a certain predetermined value at which point the armature 1.7 begins to deliver current to the working circuit as heretofore explained. The method of regulation as shown in this figure is different from that shown in Fig. 5, and as heretofore explained, is the same as illustrated in 3. When the magnetic flux generated by the coils 9 and 10 reaches a certain value, portion of it will take a path through the pole extension 37 to the keeper L0 and to the extension 36, thereby shunting more or less of the flux away from the armature 17 in accordance with the adjustment of the keeper by means of the adjusting screw H. M tremely high speeds the keeper %.0 is drawn down against the pole tip extensions and 37 shunting a greater amount of flux away from the armature 17 than when the keeper 40 is only partially drawn down. It will be noted that in this figure all of the flux generated by the coils 9 and 10 will pass through the ignition armature 16.

In Fig. 7 the field coils 9 and 3.0 are placed on pole pieces 5 and G the same as in Fig. 6, and a coil 8 is used on a yo e 7, arranged in the same manner as in Fig. 5, but the coil 8 is out of action until a predetermined high speed point is reached, at which time it is brought into action by the governor closing the contacts 48 and 53. Previous to the closing of the said contacts, the flux generated by the coils 9 and 10 divides, part taking the path of pole piece 2, armature 16 and pole piece 3, and a portion taking an upward path through extension 52, yoke 7, to extension l,

and then passing through the armature 17 The yoke 7 1s made of suit-able size to give the desired flux through the armature 17. After the contacts 48 and 53 are closed, coil 8 is brought into action and generates a flux in opposition to coils 9 and 10, thereby reducing the flux through the armature 17 and increasing it through the armature 16, This means a reduced output by the armature 17 at high speeds, which is necessary to keep the battery from boiling out and also a hotter spark from the armature 16, which is necessary in order to burn the gas in the eugine faster, as the time interval is she at high speeds of the engine. general result is obtained by the circuit arrangements shown in all of the figures. While I have shown it necessary to close the switch M to put battery tn'ough the coils 9 and 10, before starting, I am not limited to this construction, as I can arrange my windings on the various parts of the gen erator so as to make easy starting of the engine by connecting the shunt coils directly across the brushes of the armature 17, so that the engine can be operated even though there be no battery connected in the circuit.

It will be readily seen by one skilled in the art that numerous changes and altera ions may be made in the various details (Bibi '1 into my device, but I believe these changes will come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 2-- 1. In a generator of the class described, the combination of a magnetic field frame, an ignition armature, a lighting armature, independent field pole pieces for both of said armatures only two of said pole pieces carrying windings thereon, working circuits for both of said armaturcs, and means including the magnetic arran ement of the field frame for controlling the magnetic flux through said armatures.

2. In an electric generator of the class described, the combination of an open field frame having inwardly projecting working pole pieces at its opposite sides, two armatures disposed one above the other, between said pole pieces thereby forming magnetic sections of said field frame, means to excite said field frame, working circuits for both of said armatures and means for controlling the magnetic flux through the sections of said field frame serving each of said armatures, substantially as described.

3. An electric generator consisting of a hollow field frame having inwardly projecting pole pieces at its oppositesides, an armature between each pair of pole pieces and means independent of the current in either armature and including the arrangement of the magnetic circuit for controlling the flux through said armatures in propor- I" H I .lhe same tion to the speed of rotation of said armatures, substantially as described.

4-. in an electric generator, a field frame having plurality of inwardly projecting pole pieces on opposite sides and coils on one pair thereof, an armature between each pair of pole pieces and means for regulating the magnetic flux through each armature, substantially as described.

5. In an electric generator, a field frame having a plurality of inwardly projecting pole pieces on opposite sides and having an armature between each pair of pole pieces, coils on one pair for generating magnetic ilux for both armatures, substantially as dcscribed.

in an electric generator, a field frame having a plurality of inwardly projecting pole pieces on opposite sides thereof, an armature between each pair of pole pieces, coils on one pair for generating magnetic flux for both armatures and means for regulating the llllX through both of said armatures in accordance with the speed thereof, as described.

7. in an electric generator a fiel frame having a plurality of inwardly projecting pole pieces on opposite sides, an armature between each pair of pole pieces, coils on one pair for generating magnetic flux for both armatures, and means incli'iding third coil for regulating the flux through both said arnniturcs, as described.

8. in an electric generator, a field frame having a plurality of inwardly projecting pole pieces on opposite sides, an armature between each pair of pole pieces, coils between the pole pieces on either side of the frame and inclosing the frame itself for generating magnetic fiux for both armatures, substantially as described.

9. In an electric generator, a field frame having a plurality of inwardly projecting pole pieces on opposite sides, an armature between each. pair of pole pieces, coils between the pole pieces, on either side of the frame and inclosing the frame itself for generating magnetic flux for both armatures and means for controlling the flux, through both of said armatures, as described.

10. In an electric generator, a field frame having a plurality of inwardly projecting pole pieces on opposite sides, an armature between each pair of pole pieces, coils between the pole pieces on either side of the frame and inclosing the frame itself for generating magnetic fiux for both of said armatures, and a third coil included in means for controlling the flux through both armatures, substantially as described.

11. In an electric generator, a field frame having a plurality of inwardly projecting pole pieces on opposite sides, an armature between each pair of pole pieces, one pair of coils for generating flux for both armatures, and means for shunting the flux from one armature only, substantially as described.

12. in an electric generator, a field frame having a plurality of inwardly projecting pole pieces on opposite sides, an armature for eachpair of pole pieces, a pair of coils for generating flux for both armatures and a third coil for generating a flux in opposition to the first mentioned flux, substantially as described.

13. in an electric generator, at field frame having a plurality of inwardly projecting pole pieces on opposite sides, an armature bet. ien each pair of pole pieces, a pair of coils for generating flux for both arniatures, a third coil for generating a flux in opposition to the first mentioned flux and automatic means for bringing said third coil into effect, substantially as described.

ll. in a generator of the class described, the combination of afield frame having a plurality of pole pieces, two armatures adjacent to each other, field coi s for produc ing magnetic fiui: for said arinatures and means for weakening the flux through one armature and strengthening the flux through the other armature, substantially as doscribed.

15. In a generator of the class described, t is combination of a field frame and pole pieces attached thereto, a plurality of armaturcs mounted to rotate between said pole pieces, means to develop magnetic flux for said armatures and means to regulate the flux through said armatures, substantially as described.

it}. in electric generator in which separate armatures are provided adapted to gen erate power for spar ing purposes of internal combustion engines and also for the light ing of lamps, charging of batteries or the l and automatic means dependent upon the flux intensity in the magnetic circuit of said generator for coi'itrolling the amount of power delivered by said armatures at predetermined. speeds, substantially as described.

17. An electric generator having a unitary field structure provided with a plurality of pole pieces between which a plurality of armatures are arranged, a pair of constant direction field fiux coils for supplying magnetic flux for said field frame and armatures, one of said armatures being adapted to 'enerate power for sparking purposes of internal combustion engines, the other of said armatures being adapted to furnish current for ligl'iting the lamps, charging batteries or the like, an auxiliary coil in magnetic cooperation with said field structure, a governor adapted to operate aswitching mechanism for bringing into actic-n said auxiliary coil for controlling the amount of power delivered by said armatures at predetermined speeds, substantially as and for the purpose described.

18. In combination, a field frame with two pair of field poles, a high tension armature, adapted to revolve between one pair of said poles and low tension armature adapted to revolve between the other pair of said poles a 'common source of magnetic flux for both armatures and means to divert the flux from the low tension armature and to increase the flux through the high tension armature, for the purpose as described.

19. In combination, a field frame having pole pieces attached thereto, field coils associated therewith, a high tension armature and a low tension armature mounted adjacent to each other between their respective pole pieces, a working circuit for each armature, the high tension circuit being normally in working condition, the low tension circuit being closed and opened at a predetermined speed and means for regulating the current in both of said working circuits, as described.

20. In a generator of the the combination of a field frame having a plurality of pole pieces, two armatures adjacent to each other, field coils for producing magnetic flux for said armatures, a centrifugal governor operated by one of said armatures, a pair of switch contacts operated by said governor at a predetermined speed and an electrical current cir cuit closed by said switch contacts whereby magnetic flux is generated in such a manner as to weaken the flux through one of said armatures and strengthen the flux through the other of said armatures, for the purpose described.

21. In combination a field frame with two pairs of pole pieces, a high tension armature adapted to revolve between one pair of said poles and a low tension arma ture adapted to revolve between the other of said poles, a source of normal magnetic flux for both armatures, a centrifugal governor mounted on the shaft of said low tension armature, a pair of switch contacts adapted to be operated by said governor at a predetermined speed, an electrical current circuit closed by said switch contacts, a winding for generating magnetic flux included in said circuit and associated with said field poles in such a manner that said magnetic flux operates to divert the normal flux from the low tension armature and to increase the normal flux through the high tension armature when said switch contacts are closed, for the purpose described.

22. In combination, a field frame having pole pieces attached thereto, field coils associated therewith, a high tension armature and a low tension armature mounted adjacent to each other between. their respective class described,

pole pieces, a working circuit for each armature, the high tension circuit being normally in working condition, a centrifugal governor mounted on the shaft of said low tension armature. a pair of switch contacts included in the low tension circuit and adapted to be operated at a predetermined speed of said governor to control the working circuit, a second pair of switch contacts included in an electrical circuit and adapted to be operated at a second predetermined speed of said governor, an electromagnetic device included in said electrical circuit and as sociated with said field frame in such a manner'that the magnetic flux generated by said magnetic device serves to decrease the magnetic flux through said low tension armature and to increase the flux through said high tension armature when said second predetermined speed is reached.

28. In combination, a field frame with pole pieces attached thereto, two armatures disposed adj acently between said pole pieces, end plates attached to said field frame for supporting said armatures, a sup )lcmental plate attached to one of said end plates, an auxiliary plate carried by said supplemental plate, said auxiliary plate carrying members in the working circuit of one of said armatures, a governor mounted on the shaft of said armature and coacting with one of the members mounted on the auxiliary plate, whereby said members are operated to control the working circuit for said armature, substantially as described.

In combination, a field frame with pole pieces attached thereto, two armatures disposed adjacently between said pole pieces, end plates attached to said field frame, a supplemental plate attached to one of said end plates and carrying a bearing for one of said armatures, a governor mounted on the first mentioned armature shaft, an auXil iary plate supporting members in the working circuit of said armatures and a cover for said auxiliary plate.

25. In combination, a field frame having a plurality of pole pieces attachedthereto, coils for generating magnetic flux, two armatures disposed adjacently between said pole pieces, one of said armatures having high and low tension windings the low tension winding being controlled by a circuit breaker, the other of said armatures having but one winding, translating devices to be connected to said winding and automatic means for connecting and disconnecting said translating devices to said winding and means for regulating the current in all of said windings substantially as described.

26. In combination, a field frame with two pairs of pole pieces, a high tension armature adapted to revolve between one pair of said poles and a low tension armature adapted to revolve between the other pair of said poles, one armature being driven through the other, a working circuit for each armature the high tension circuit being normally in working condition, sources of magnetic flux for both armaturcs, a device responsive to the speed of said armatures, a pair of switch members in the low tension circuit holding the same normally open, said switch members adapted to be operated by said speed responsive device to close and open the low tension circuit and means for regulating the current in both of said working circuits.

27. In comloination a. field frame with two pairs of pole pieces, a high tension armature adapted to revolve between one pair of said poles and a low tension armature adapted to revolve between the other pair of said poles, one armature being driven through the other, a working circuit for each armature, the high tension circuit being normally in working condition, sources of magnetic flux for both armatures, a device responsive to the speed of said armatures, a pair oi. switch members in the low tension circuit holding the same normally open, said switch members adapted to be operated by said speed responsive device to close and open the low tension circuit and an electromagnetic device controlled by said speed responsive device for regulating the current in both of said working circuits.

28. In an electric current generator, the

combination of a base having a plurality of pole pieces of magnetic material mounted thereon and means for supplying magnetic flux to said pole pieces, a. high tension armature adapted to revolve between one pair of said pole pieces, and a low tension armature adapted to revolve between the other pair of said pole pieces, said armatures being drivingly connected, a working circuit for each armature, an electromagnetic device mounted above the low tension armature pole pieces and operatively responsive to the speed of said armature for controlling the flow of energy in its working circuit.

29. In an electric generator of the class described, the combination of an open field frame having inwardly projecting pole pieces, only two of said pole pieces being provided with electrical windings, two arma tures disposed one above the other, means to excite said field frame, working circuits for both of said armatures and means for controlling the magnetic flux through the cross-sectional areas of said field frame in. such a way that the llux serving each armat'ureis regulated thereby.

In testimony whereof I alIiX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES M. WILSON.

Witnesses M. W. BARTLETT, DANIEL R. WALLS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

